Music filled the assembly room as the dance-couples took their positions in the set. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy had the honour of opening the ball. Caroline was aware of the jealous stares she was receiving from the women in the room, as she proudly took her position in front of her husband, the handsome owner of Pemberley, Fitzwilliam Darcy.
She saw her brother farther down, standing up with his wife, the former Miss Bennet. It used to annoy Caroline that her brother had married the unconnected and impoverished Jane Bennet, but after her own marriage to Mr. Darcy, little things like these did not bother her anymore.
Caroline had come to the ball in the handsomest carriage in town. She herself was dressed in an elegant, fashionable costume from the best designer in London. Her neck and wrists were bedecked with the Darcy family jewels. As Mrs. Darcy, she was opening the ball. Louisa's marriage was nothing to hers.
To crown it all, she saw Elizabeth Bennet sitting down in want of a partner. Caroline snickered to herself, "So, Eliza Bennet is without a partner? Serves her right! To think that she once dared to set herself to be Mrs. Darcy, with her impertinent words and batting eyelashes! Fine eyes, indeed!"
Caroline moved gracefully down the dance floor, smiling, and nodding her head at the curtseying men she passed. They finished the dance, and Caroline joined her sister, Louisa Hurst.
"Louisa! Your hair is done better than Lady Matlock's (1). And did you see the gown Mrs. Grantley was wearing?"
"Yes, looks as if she got it from Cheapside."
The two sisters laughed heartily.
"Did you see her?" asked Caroline of her sister, "Sitting down with that pert look on her face!"
"Her dress looks handsome though. Jane must have procured it for her. Her father cannot afford to get her such expensive apparel!"
"Yes, I wish Jane would stop wasting Charles' money on her!" bewailed Caroline.
"Well, it is his own doing and he must suffer from it! Caroline, look, is not that Mr. Darcy with Elizabeth Bennet? It seems as if he is asking her to dance!"
"No! That cannot be," hissed Caroline, "Not after all my tirades that he is to give her no consequence!"
When the music started playing again, Caroline found that Mr. Darcy was indeed leading Eliza Bennet to the dance floor. She had no time to vent her anger, as she was herself claimed by Lord Ebrington for the dance. As she moved around the dance floor, her eyes kept turning in the direction of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. They seemed to be talking and smiling too much. This ought not be allowed to continue! -she would fake indisposition; that would bring Mr. Darcy running to her side!
She was just preparing to swoon gracefully into the arms of her partner, when the door opened, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh, accompanied by her daughter Anne, entered the room. Lady Catherine was moving fast towards Mr. Darcy. Anne de Bourgh, though, seemed to be coming straight at her. Caroline unconsciously straightened her posture. Maybe she wanted to pay her compliments to Mrs. Darcy- she looked so sour, though!
"You ruined my prospects!" said Anne to Caroline, loud enough to be heard by at least ten people near her.
"Darcy, you foolish nephew! After all that I warned you about, you have thrown yourself into the arms of that scheming Bingley woman-" Lady Catherine yelled at Mr. Darcy.
This time the whole room heard the words, and the dancing stopped.
"This cannot be happening to me!" thought Caroline, desperately. The ball was turning into a nightmare!
"You have thrown yourself down from the higher circles by marrying that upstart, whose father was in trade! I refuse to acknowledge her as part of our family," Lady Catherine continued.
Caroline started to move towards Mr. Darcy, only to be restrained by Anne de Bourgh. She screamed as she felt one of Anne's fingernails dig through her arms. Caroline, in her turn, raised her free hand, and shoving Anne out of the way, ran towards Mr. Darcy.
"But, Lady Catherine," Darcy was saying, "I am married to Elizabeth, not to Miss Bingley!"
At this point, Caroline Bingley fell off the sofa in the Pemberley morning room, where she had inadvertently fallen asleep.
"Miss Bingley!" she heard Georgiana say, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, of course-of what were we speaking? Ah! Yes, the Ball!" Soon after Caroline Bingley had recovered her bearings, Mr. Darcy entered the room.
"Mr. Darcy!" gushed Caroline Bingley, "How thoughtful of you to throw a ball for your sister! Her accomplishments deserve such encouragement. Georgiana is very fortunate in having you as a brother!"
"Georgiana always deserves the best," said he, "But, the ball is for another accomplished lady."
Caroline Bingley's eyes sparkled. Who, within 30 miles of Pemberley, was more accomplished than she was! She would be so appropriate in her role as patroness of the Pemberley ballroom. She pictured herself on Darcy's arm, smiling graciously at admiring young men, as she walked down to lead the set. She would wear her pearl-
"It is in honour of my wife's return to Pemberley," said Mr. Darcy.
"Eliza Benn-I mean, Mrs. Darcy arrives this week?" a disappointed Caroline stuttered.
"Yes, Lizzy and Jane are to be here before Friday, and we are to have the ball Saturday," explained Georgiana, "How pleased dear Lizzy will be, William, when she finds out!"
"Oh! It is to be a surprise. Well, if they arrive in time, I suppose so," said Caroline ungraciously and walked out of the room, with a slight "Excuse me!"
Brother and sister smiled at each other. Jane and Lizzy were at Longbourn on a month-long visit. Mary Bennet's marriage to Mr. Smith, their Uncle Philips' clerk was fixed soon after Lady Day (2). The sisters had gone to congratulate Mary in person, and help with the purchase of the trousseau and other wedding arrangements. Bingley had been called on urgent business to London the previous week. Caroline, then her brother's guest at his recently procured estate near Derbyshire (3), was invited to stay with Georgiana until the ball.
(1) Lady Matlock (Colonel Fitzwilliam's mother).
(2) The first of the four "Quarter days" (Lady Day, Midsummer Day, Michaelmas, Christmas) in a year. Lady Day fell on March 25.
(3) I am following the Chapman Calendar of Pride & Prejudice for the timeline of my story. Darcy & Elizabeth would be married end 1812. It is a little more than a year after their marriage.